


Do This Better

by pleaiides



Category: Gilmore Girls, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life - Fandom
Genre: Breaking news, Canon Compliant, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life spoilers, Headcanon, NOT a romantic pairing this is strictly a family dynamic fic, Other, Pregnancy, Rory tells her dad she's pregnant, gilmore girls spoilers, this is a dumb headcanon i had for the revival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-12 00:46:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13536108
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pleaiides/pseuds/pleaiides
Summary: Christopher gets some unexpected news.





	Do This Better

**Author's Note:**

> If you're voluntarily reading this THANK YOU! The idea of Christopher getting to be a grandpa has me SO emotional, and thus this fic was born.

The weather is drizzly, contrary to the morning forecast. The cuffs of his suit jacket are damp and droplets of water have soaked their way into the brown leather of his shoes. He shows up to the office building ten minutes later, to his utter joy, he wonders how many conferences he can talk his assistant into canceling today. The building is old, built in the late 19th century at most. The marbled floors in the lobby are warped and everything smells like wood dust no matter how many times the banisters are refurbished. 

“Good morning, mr. Hayden.” The receptionist - Shirley? Clara? - greets him, Chris returns the hello with a curt nod. And lifts his take-out coffee in her general direction. 

The elevators are feeling particularly slow today, adding an extra three minutes to his already tardy trip up to his floor. His assistant’s annoyance is tangible when he enters his office, badgering Chris with oral messages and a dozen sticky notes even though working hours started less than thirty minutes ago. 

“You have three calls to return, an email you should have sent out yesterday, and Ms. Howard want’s to schedule a meeting with you as as soon as possible, also..” His assistant hands him one last sticky note, “Your daughter his here.” Chris pauses, hand hovering over the door. 

“My- Rory’s here?” He knits his eyebrows together. It had been months since they last talked in person. Usually making do with phone calls and emails. And to show up unannounced? Chris’s stomach dropped, the list of Horrible, Terrible Things That Could Happen To Your Child flashes through his mind as he practically flings open the door of his office.

Rory is sitting there, of course. Her eyes are dropped to her knees, fingers curling and uncurling in the fabric of her skirt. It’s unbearably quiet in the room. Chris clears his throat, making his way to his desk with a weak smile. “Hey, kid. What brings you around, huh?” 

“Hey, dad.” Rory returns the smile, her eyes flick to the side for the briefest moment. “I, um- I have to tell you something.” She looks back down at her knees, hair falling off her shoulders, and takes a breath. “I’m pregnant.” It comes out sounding like a question, as if she were asking him for confirmation. Suddenly. Chris can only see her as a child again. Young and scared; in need of a parent to tell her what to do. Isn’t being a reliable parent what he always wanted? Missed out on with her? Maybe. But suddenly he wished he wasn’t hearing this. Couldn’t stand it. To make the same mistake as her parents, he should’ve been there for her more, he _should’ve_ been there!  
After a long silence, his phone buzzes. It’s no one important, but Chris needs a moment, a minute to breathe, to think. He picks up his phone and smiles apologetically. “Sorry, I have to take this.” Rory nods solemnly, and he walks out into the hall, murmuring another apology to his daughter as he leaves.

The wall is an anchor against his shaking shoulders. He feels like he did 28 years ago when Lorelai broke the same news to him. He stuffs his hands in his pockets, but that doesn’t feel right, so he brings them to his face instead. His eyes are wet with tears, he wonders how long they’ve been there. He’s going to kill whoever knocked her up. He means it. But he’ll love the baby, he’ll _love_ it. He hopes it has Lor’s eyes, and Rory’s wit, and god willing, a better conscious than the three of them ever had. He tries to imagine Gigi with a baby, wonders if he’ll feel this emotional.

Chris wipes his eyes and makes his way back into his office. Rory gives him a hopeful look and shifts in her seat. He sits, this time with a genuine smile, and leans forward.

“Truthfully, Ror, which one sounds better: gramps or granddad?”

**Author's Note:**

> UPDATE: I've gone thru and fixed some grammar mishaps!


End file.
